Today, health officials pushed British surgeons to perform a “lite” version of the risky Brazilian Butt Lift.
The treatment, popularised by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Cardi B, was condemned in 2018 by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons following a spate of deaths.
This included Leah Cambridge, 29, a British mother of three who experienced three heart attacks after receiving the operation in Turkey.
Despite the British ban, hundreds of women still traveled abroad to obtain BBLs at a lower cost, despite the increased danger.
Now, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPs), which establishes guidelines for British plastic surgeons, has partially reversed its decision.
Instead, surgeons in the United Kingdom are now advised to perform superficial gluteal lipofilling (SGL).
This is essentially a lighter variant of BBL in which the fat is injected solely beneath the skin.
In contrast, a BBL involves injecting fat directly into the buttocks’ muscles, giving them a fuller, curvier appearance.
However, surgeons may inject fat into the bloodstream inadvertently, resulting in potentially fatal blockages.
It is unknown how much the procedure will cost, although a BBL in the United Kingdom can cost upwards of £7,000.
All reported BBL-related deaths occurred during treatments in which fat was injected into the muscle layer, and consequently closer to blood arteries, according to BAAPS.
The revised BBL, which was authorized by BAAPS, attempts to reduce risks and is based on four years of research.
Although the surgery will still result in a curvier physique, it will not be as effective as a BBL because the fat will not be injected as deeply.
In response to the death of Ms. Cambridge, the BAAPS declared a moratorium asking its members not to perform BBLs.
Experts warned, however, that the move could drive Britons abroad, where there is less medical regulation.
The revised rules, which have been distributed to the organization’s 350-plus members, will result in safer patient outcomes, according to BAAPS president Marc Pacifico.
‘All of the BBL-related deaths had fascia (a thin layer of connective tissue between the skin and muscles) breaches and fat injections into the muscle,’ he stated.
Therefore, the answer is no to BBL but yes to Superficial Gluteal Lipofilling (SGL) when the fascia is intact.
However, he noted that the BAAPS remained concerned about the number of British citizens who risk their lives by going abroad to acquire BBLs.
There is no known number of Britons who travel abroad for BBLs, however, each year hundreds of people travel abroad as part of medical tourism.
Since the beginning of 2019, at least 20 Britons have perished after undergoing surgery in Turkey.
Dr. Pacifico stated that an increasing number of UK-based patients continue to seek this operation from surgeons not on the GMC Specialist Register or by traveling abroad.
Sepsis, inadequate skills, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism are examples of hazards and problems associated with which there is a concern.
Dr. Pacifico believed that the revised recommendations will encourage Britons to undergo the surgeries in the United Kingdom, where surgery is safer.
In August 2018, the death of Ms. Cambridge, a mother of three, heightened concerns in the United Kingdom regarding BBLs.
The 29-year-old died of a blood clot after receiving a BBL at Elite Aftercare in Izmir, Turkey, for £6,500 in cash.
Her father, 51-year-old Craig Cambridge, committed himself in April 2021; an inquest conducted earlier this year attributed his death in part to his daughter’s passing.
At the time of Ms. Cambridge’s passing, research placed the chance of death from a BBL at one in 2,500 surgeries; this has now been reduced to one in 15,000.
In the past few years, there have been dozens of reports of Britons dying or suffering from infections and other medical complications following their operation.
However, according to BAAPS, all BBL-related fatalities have occurred in instances where fat was injected into the muscles.
BBLs are one of the most rapidly expanding forms of cosmetic surgery, with the number of treatments anticipated to increase by 20% per year.
As part of its revised guidelines, the BAAPS emphasized that surgeons should give patients “realistic expectations” if they are pursuing the ideal “hourglass figure.”
It noted, “This is especially essential given the extensive availability of content online, via social media, and in mainstream media that may inflate realistic effects.”
